


Last Words

by KageYuuki, Kimiwriter



Series: Until the Road Ends [2]
Category: Mach GoGoGo | Speed Racer
Genre: AU, Established Relationship, Ficlet, Gen, Mix of English and Japanese Names, Post-Canon, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29191563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KageYuuki/pseuds/KageYuuki, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimiwriter/pseuds/Kimiwriter
Summary: While prepping for the biggest race of the year, a pair of brothers butt heads.
Relationships: Mifune Gou | Speed Racer/Shimura Michi | Trixie
Series: Until the Road Ends [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143188
Kudos: 1





	Last Words

**Author's Note:**

> There are going to be a lot of big changes in this AU, but the most important for this ficlet will be that both original and dub names will be used.

Gou rubbed his temples, looking over the papers for the hundredth time just to be sure everything was in order. Everything from passports, visas, and racing registrations to team medical release forms, media release forms, and customs papers for their car and equipment. And that was on top of their itineraries, travel ticket packets, and maps given to them upon registration. He’d look over it another hundred times before arriving at the first track.

Rumors of unrest in one of the countries this year’s Global Grind Prix went through forced the race organizers to change the route at the last minute. The sudden change to the middle of the route left the team scrambling to make sure they would be ready on time. 

“So the last time the race was in Asnea, they used this route,” Michi traced a line over an atlas map as she consulted old race records. “But that was three years ago. They might not be able to get the same permits this time on such short notice.”

“There’s a lot of money in this race. If Asnea wants a cut, they’d give the commission the permits,” Sparky organized a series of tools into a travel case and marked down exactly the number and sizes of each. “Can’t believe their customs want an exact count of everything though.”

“They don’t want anyone to get there and then claim their stuff was stolen during transit,” Gou said.

“Five bucks says someone still says that.”

The door to the garage opened and shut, steps too light to belong to Pops moving towards where the team sat clustered around a table. Gou felt the presence of his little brother just behind his shoulder. “What do you need?” He asked, adding another paper to an envelope and marking it with Asnea’s name.

“What can I do to help?” Kurio stepped closer to the table, tilting his head to look at the maps Michi had spread out in front of her. 

“Help Pops with the shop so we can work.” Gou thumbed through another stack of papers, frowned and searched around for a missing list. “Sparky, I need a copy of that equipment list for South Africa.”

Sparky shifted through his own pile of papers.

“I already finished,” Kurio said, “what do you need me to do to help get ready?”

“Then just let us work.”

“But I’ll need some type of job when we’re traveling.”

Sparky stopped halfway to the copier, shooting Michi a glance. 

“When we’re. . .?” Frowning, Gou slowly turned towards his brother. Kurio had just entered the awkward lanky stage of his preteens, suddenly growing taller so his ankles showed under the cuffs of his jeans. Despite that, he still had his round baby face and oversized ears. Kurio’s bright eyes moved over the stacks of papers before them. Gou shook his head. “You aren’t going.”

The smile on Kurio’s face wavered. “But . . . you promised you’d take me. I can help! I won’t get in the way, I swear!”

“I said you could come to one of the smaller overseas races. Not the biggest one of the year.”

“Why not? I won’t be in the car with you. I can help Michi back in communications. And between races, I can help Sparky with the car so you can actually get some rest.”

Sparky snorted and turned away, hurrying to the copier to avoid Gou’s glare. Michi’s pencil bounced off his shoulder blade. 

Kurio rolled his eyes at their antics. “Gou, you know I can help. I even have the money for my own ticket if that’s the problem.”

“Some places are barely going to have enough room for the three of us as is.” Gou shook his head, “besides, this isn’t a race for a kid to hang around.” He turned back to his work.

Kurio caught his arm and pulled. “I’m not a kid. I work in the shop and with the team the same as you. The least you can do is give me a chance.”

“No. Now quit bugging us so we can finish this.”

“That’s not fair! You said I could go!”

Gou pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He needed more coffee to deal with this headache. “To one of the smaller races.”

“You don’t do small races anymore. Ani, please, just let me come with your. I haven’t been along on a race in ages.”

“You stowed away.”

“I’ve grown up. I’ll work. I’ll sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. I don’t care. Please.”

“Dammit, Kurio, I told you no. Stop being a pain and let us work. We don't have time for this right now.” Gou jerked away from him, purposely turning his back towards his brother as he checked his work again. Sparky returned and passed him copies of his list.

Kurio stood by the table and looked at the others. Sparky gave him a small shrug. Michi didn’t look up from her own notes. “But. . .” He looked back at Gou. Swallowing his protest, he stormed past them towards the workshop. “Asshole!” He slammed the door behind him.

Sighing, Gou rubbed his eyes. 

“Think he’s mad?” Sparky said.

“Don’t push it.” Gou finished packing the envelopes and arranged them in a messenger bag and set everything on top of Sparky’s packed toolboxes. “That’s all the paperwork.”

“Gou!” Daisuke appeared in the doorway, “did you get started on the Trotter job?”

He winced, “not yet.”

“Get to it. Unless you want to stay here all night painting.”

“Hai.” Sighing, Gou left the team’s table and walked into the main garage. The smell of motor oil dominated the tidy workshop. The Mach 5 sat to the side near the workbench and line of toolboxes. Kurio stood next to it, staring at the car. Gou frowned. “What are you doing?”

His little brother jumped. “Nothing.”

He raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and moving to a cabinet. He didn’t have time for his brother’s antics. “Go help Pops.” 

Kurio backed away before turning and running from the room.

Shaking his head, Gou grabbed the respirator before leaving the workshop and crossing the parking lot to the small painting shed.

  
  


The next morning was an early start. Gou and Sparky hurried through their work in the shop, putting on the final coat of paint and wax for the Trotter job and checking the shipment of parts for the Field’s build before loading up the Mach 5 with the last of their equipment. Gou put the messenger bag between the seats just as Daisuke stepped into the workshop. 

“You two finished with the orders?” Daisuke asked from the doorway.

“Yeah,” Gou left Sparky to finish as he walked back to his father’s office. “All the paperwork is finished and filed. And we got the parts we had installed so you’ll just have to do the ones that come in.” His mother sat behind the desk. She smiled as he showed his father where he’d put the receipts and order forms. “Kurio’s paint work is decent but you might want to do the finishing coats.” Gou looked around the office, trying to think if there was anything else he’d missed.

Aya stood and walked to him, cupping his head in her hands. “Be careful out there.” She pulled him into a hug. “Use your head. And don’t get into any trouble.”

“I will, Mom.”

“And call us when you get to your hotel so we know you made it safely.”

“I will.”

“And no surprise grandchildren while you’re gone.”

“Kaasan!”

“Leave the kids alone, Aya,” Daisuke said.

She laughed and kissed both of Gou’s cheeks before releasing him. “We love you, Gou.” 

“Love you too,” Gou grabbed his helmet from the rack by the office door and hurried back into the workshop.

Sparky stood by the trunk, frowning into it.

“Got everything?”

“We won’t know that until we get there.”

Gou tossed his helmet into the car. “I swear to god, if you jinx us . . .”

Sparky beckoned him over. “Take a look at this.”

Gou frowned. He walked around to the trunk and checked inside. The tools and extra tires all fit, neatly packed in so nothing could slide around. It looked standard for any of their long races. He was about to ask what Sparky was talking about when his eyes fell on the thin, silver marks gouged into the inside of the trunk. “What the--?” Gou leaned in and ran his finger over the marks. 

“It’s scratched in there pretty deep. Someone put a bit of force into it.”

“I am going to strangle Kurio.”

Sparky chuckled. “No wonder he didn’t show up.”

“We’ll deal with this later.” He closed the trunk.

“So what’s it say anyway?”

Gou glanced at the office door. “I’m not saying it with Mom anywhere near the building.” He circled around to the driver’s side, rolling his eyes at his friend’s laughter. “We shouldn’t keep Michi waiting.”

They got in. Gou started the car, the engine roaring as it sprang to life.

“I’ll fix it when we get back,” Sparky said. “As long as Pops doesn’t kill us first.”

“Kurio’s going to be the one in trouble, not us.” He pulled out of the garage and onto the road headed for the airport. The engine rumbled as he navigated the streets, careful to keep to the speed limit. Just a few more days and he’d be speeding over rough terrain and navigating through old cities and open land against the greatest drivers in the world. Even now, he felt his heart rate spike at the thought. But he couldn’t shake Kurio from his mind. “We’ll pick something up for Kurio somewhere along the way.”

“Feeling guilty for snapping at him?”

“I’m getting him a shirt that’s one size too small.

Sparky snorted, “Jerk.”

“If he apologizes, we’ll take him along on the next race.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

Gou rested his arm on the window frame, letting his hand cut through the wind. “I did promise him. . . May just make him work harder for it.”

“Sure Michi can find plenty of things for him to do.”

“He wouldn’t ask to come along again.”

They both laughed as they drove onto the highway and headed for the airport.

**Author's Note:**

> KageYuuki: This was a fun little vignette to write, and will be fun to call back to down the road.  
> Kimiwriter: Excited to share this AU.


End file.
